The Film Daily (1945)

I! Thursday, July 19, 1945 1HEI Jnion Heads Term ludio Strike "Legal rr (Continued from Page 1) ny way from what it was when it /as approved, and the strike repudited by responsible American Fedration of Labor leaders," William • ireen, president of A. F. of L., tated. "When the strike was called, ; officially disavowed your strike and all upon you and your associates to ease and desist from using the name <f the American Federation of Labor ^n any way in connection with your trike, and to terminate immediately 'he unjustified strike in which you re engaged." ■, , . L. P. Lindelol, internaitional president oi hr striking painters and. decorators union, rl:ii-ed tlie strike was without his sanction ,1 awroval. In addition, the War Uabor inaid characterized strike as "a flagrant [isit'g-ard of labor's no-strike pledg-e" and diiTled that it be terminated immediately. Since that time there has been further trile between the unions themselves, but the msic issues remain exactly the same and the lollcy and stand of the producers have never •|}ang"ecl. "Now after 19 weeks when there has been lo chang-e in the basic situation, a strike vhich was officially and vigorously disavowed IV responsible AF of L leaders, suddenly ii.cimes 'legal.' How can thousands of our , ■ rlcers be threatened with loss of their jobs iihl their incomes with such a sudden and imiplote reversal of attitude?" The strike was declared legal by six intermit ional presidents of the unions involved in 111 rontroversy. Huteheson, sent the foUow11 wire to Pat Casey, producer labor contact; Recently at the meeting in Chicago an efini was made by international presidents repI -I nting members of their organizations who mil formerly employes in the studios to 'iiili an understanding in reference to the iintroversy. Offers made were refused by the lATSE. Therefore, we are notifying you that the general presidents of following organizalioiis. IBEW, plumibers, building service emiilnves, international union of machinists, I i.ii liters and carpenters, recognize the strike ;is being legal and will suipport it to the limit." Now that the film strike has been declared legal, four more unions may join the strike. They are the Screen Publicists Guild, the cartoonists, story analysts and screen office employes. Admiral Lauds Films' Value in War Effort (Continued from Page 1) pix industry — both in theaters and in producing training films. The admiral lauded photographers of all services, and Army and Navy personnel who have helped in the editing, assembling and distribution of combat, reconnaisance and training footage, and said that "training films proved one of the happiest solutions to the Quick training proiblem." The Navy considers the exipense of shooting and printing combat footage well repaid, said the Admiral, for training purposes, and as the most effective means of making the public understand how its money is spent and what its boys are doing. The Admiral believes that there is a busy future for the Navy photographic division in peace-time, assisting Hollywood in production of films with a Navy background, extending and keeping up to date the training film program and telling people what the Navy is doing. George A. Armstrong Dies Chicago — George A. Armstrong, veteran member of the local operators' union, is dead. «REV[E1US» "Anchors Aweigh" with Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Kathryn Grayson, Jose Iturbi M-G-M 140 Mins. MUSICAL STUNNER IN TECHNICOLOR A FEAST OF ENTERTAINMENT; KELLY STEALS SHOW. "Anchors Aweigh" gives M-G-M another musical that hits the top note. Once more caught in its most expansive mood, the studio has assembled a show that will stir audiences to an extreme pitch of enthusiasm. Everything that could possibly be crammed into a musical is in evidence in this production. With Producer Joe Pasternak at the helm, the offering, a Technicolor binge, sizes up as a gem of showmanship that adds further luster to his record as a maker of screen diversion of universal appeal. It is hard to think of an M-G-M musical excelling it. There is no reason why the film should not gain recognition as one of the year's best of its type. Music, classical and popular; comedy, romance, terpsichore, fancifulness, settings to feast the eyes upon, human interest, heart appeal, and gayety — these are some of ingredients in this savory piece of film entertainment, for which big is the word. The presence of Frank Sinatra and Jose Iturbi, representing opposite poles in musical taste, gives the attraction both mass and class drawing power. The crooner delivers himself of a couple of numbers by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne that are manna for the bobby-sockers, departing from his usual line once to take a fling at something high-class with a rendition of Brahms' lullaby, "Wiegenlied." Iturbi is at his most brilliant in a production number in which he plays Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody' backed by a battery of pianos. Further touches of class are contributed by the singing of Kathryn Grayson, whose best number is TchaikovskyBrent's "Waltz Serenade." Potent drawing cards though they be, it isn't Sinatra and Iturbi who contribute most to the film. That honor goes to Gene Kelly, who lugs the main burden in a shining performance that places no ceiling on his talent as actor and dancer. He is the central figure in a couple of production items that are verily stunners. To Kelly also goes credit for creating the film's dance sequences, one of which is an impressive number in which he has a cartoon character as a partner. In its use of "flesh' and animation this sequence outdoes Walt Disney. The film, a dazzling visual treat directed uncommonly well by George Sidney from an Isobel Lennart script, reworks the yarn about a couple of gobs (Sinatra and Kelly) who find love in Hollywood. Kelly is a lady's man; Sinatra, a milksop. The one falls for Miss Grayson; the other, for Pamela Britton, a goil from Brooklyn. Sinatra and Kelly spend much of their time trying to get Iturbi to audition Miss Grayson, a movie extra. The Hollywood setting lends glamor to the story. CAST: Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Gene Kelly, Jose iturbi. Dean Stockwell, Pamela Britton, "Rags" Ragland, Billy Gilbert, Henry O'Neill, Carlos Ramirez, James Flavin, Edgar Kennedy, Grady Sutton. CREDITS: Producer, Joe Pasternak; Director, George Sidney; Screenplay, Isobel Lennart; Suggested by story by Natalie Marcin; Cameramen, Robert Planck, Charles Boyle; Musical Director, DAILY Hollywood Foxhole Tour Gave 5,000 Performances (Continued from Page 1) the Hollywood Victory Committee and received in New York by the War Activities Committee. Overseas entertainment made up the biggest single item in the sixmonth record of free appearances, with 49 celebrities spending a total of 3,242 days away Irom Hollywood on USO-Camp Shows tours; on actual playing days they averaged two performances daily. They traveled more than 100,000 miles, to Europe, Alaska, Panama, China, the Philippines and other war zones. For all branches of patriotic activity, the Victory Committee volunteers piled up 9,321 appearances in 1,134 events, the report stated. Eighty entertainers spent 937 playing days on hospital tours throughout the nation. Special shows for embarkation points, hospital ships and Southern California hospitals were given by 261 troupes for a total of 2,267 individual appearances. Stars created 481 recorded entertainment programs for transmission overseas by the Armed Forces Radio Service. In the Seventh War Loan campaign, eight stars spent 55 days on Bond tours, 75 made a total of 134 Bond rally appearances, 34 appeared on a total of 10 broadcasts and 15 made individual radio transcriptions. Ten toured Canada for the Dominion's Eighth Victory Loan drive. The six-month record brought the totals of Hollywood Victory Committee activities since Pearl Harbor to 48,986 appearances by 3,918 performers, 154 of whom have made one or more overseas tours; 375 players have made hospital and camp tours and 1,771 troupes have played individual hospital and camp dates, the report said. California Dating Bill Killed in Committee (Continued from Page 1) when a committee failed to call a hearing. No further attempts are expected by McCollister. Proposed measure would have compelled a separate title for production date to remain on the screen for not less than five seconds. P. G. Demetre, Canadian Theater Operator, Dead Montreal — ^^P. G. Demetre, lessee of the Belmont Theater, died from a iieart attack suffered at Fort Erie Rack Track. A native of Greece, Demetre was a former proprietor of the Midway Theater, and a director of United Amusements Corp. and Confederation Amusements. He owned Stamford Park Race Course, Niagara Falls, and several buildings in Montreal, including theater properties. Georgie Stoll; Recording Director, Douglas Shearer; Art Directors, Cedric Gibbons, Randall Duell; Set Decorators, Edwin B. Willis, Richard Pefferle; Film Editor, Adrienne Fazan. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Aces. American Pictures To Re-enter Italy (Continued from Page 1) current negotiations for re-opening of the Italian pic market. As reported last week in this paper, these negotiaitions are now far enough alon? so that J publication of a decree promising' favorable'] conditions for American pix distributors is toj be looked for any day no'W. The text of the} proposed decree has already been approved! both by the allied military authorities in Italy* and by our State Departmen't, which was Instriimental in the writing' of the decree. It is now being circulated among various Italian , government offices, and no important objection is known to have arisen. General impression here is that the Italians intend to do ' just the opposite of what was done by the govei-nment iilm monopoly under Mussolini. The new group, according to the U. S. Department of Commerce, is to "promote and i develop commercial interchange with the] Americas: to furnish advice and assistance in J this regard in connection with the laws, regu-^ lations and customs of Italy and the Americas: to distribute among the members of the ' association accurate information concerning ' the various types of economic activity in i Italy and the Americas: to adjust commercial 1 disputes and co-operate in the formation ofi] arbitration boards to settle controversies between the contracting parties." O'Shea to Conduct Metro Sales Parley Here Today Four home office assistants to as many field sales managers will attend the two-day Eastern conference ^ to be held at the Astor Hotel today ^ and tomorrow. E. W. Aaron, circuit i sales manager, will also attend. Ed1 ward K. O'Shea, Eastern sales head,! will conduct the meetings and go into all the phases of the discussions re. cently held at the three-day Chicago division and district managers' conclave. Attending the local meetings will be Paul Richrath, assistant to ■ O'Shea; Charles Deesen, assistant to J. J. Maloney, Central sales manager; Leonard Hirsch, assistant to Rudy Berger, Southern sales manager; and Irving Helfont, assistant to George A. Hickey, West Coast sales manager. District and branch managers also will attend O'Shea's meetings. J. J. Maloney started the first of his two-day meetings at the Statler Hotel in Cleveland yesterday. Rudolph Berger, Southern sales i head, will start his two-day meeting tomorrow at the Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans. Western Amusement Co. Acquires 3 in Hollywood (Continued from Page 1) ley and Vista were taken over from P. G. Cameron and Claude N. Kennell, and H. J. Griffith and Mrs. Marcello Griffith interested in the theaters along with Jones and Western. Circuit -will start operations on Aug. 4. DeVry Picnic Saturday Chicago — Employes of DeVry Corp. and De Forest Institute will hold their annual picnic on Saturday at Caldwell Woods. Several hundred are expected to attend.